Ms. Minton

Spas, Health & Fitness

Off-Season Profitability Producing Pick Me Ups

By Melinda Minton, Founder, The Spa Association / Spa Secure

Side By Side Moments

Side by side treatments have never been more popular and for any occasion the perfect answer to lifting your spa's agenda. Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Anniversaries, Christmas, New Year's and Birthdays are all natural occasions for these types of services. Couples, friends, mother and daughter matchings are all natural spa-goers to enjoy treatments like: side by side massage, facials, body treatments or a combination of all three. Sundries like robes and slippers are always appreciated for these "event" kinds of treatments as are items like beverages, appetizers, flowers, take home goodies and special touches that make the treatment special for the individuals enjoying them.

Thematic Services

Establishing a theme for a treatment, month or series of treatments really develops an interest in spa-goers who might not otherwise come to your spa. For instance, treatments that are different than the typical fare found on most spa's menus like Ahshiatsu or bar massage can be quite intriguing to the typical guest; sea-based treatments like Watsu can be a draw as well as many types of multi-layer facial or body masquing services. The point is, make some of your treatments unique, hard to find and entertaining. The difference will show in your bottom line.

Develop a Local Following

Especially if you are a seasonal property, when your low season hits staff is cut, morale is low and profits can fall to non-existent levels leaving your financials in shambles. One way to counteract this is to give locals a lower price, a membership to use the spa and market to them as locals. Those who live in vacation spots often resent being ignored when tourists come to their towns in droves and unemployed when the tourists leave. Adopting a familial marketing campaign lets them know that you are understanding and one of them too. Additionally, your facility will keep staff which means no rush to hire and train when the high season comes. Marketing to locals doesn't just develop a revenue stream it also cuts a lot of the cost that go into the season fluctuations that many resorts experience. Also, once the high season is upon you those who work within the tourism component will freely promote your spa over those spas who don't embrace a local market.

Cut corners that Won't Affect the Customer

So many times spa technicians don't understand the basics of frugality in the business of making a spa run more efficiently. Consequently, product is wasted, services aren't performed in a timely manner, linens are used excessively and little things like utilities, use of space and equipment are all abused. It is crucial to chant at employees the meaningfulness of your bottom line. Expediting backbar items is one smart way to instantly cut costs while improving the consistency observed by the client. Creating bonuses based on productivity is another way to cut costs while truly observing the quality of customer services offered in your spa. Making better time of spa hours of operation is another way to ensure that employees won't sit idle while the customer has no preference. Scheduling employees and clients at a tight schedule greatly reduces operations costs. As long as the customer remains unaffected - it's fair game to toy with cutting costs.

Have a Soiree

Offering educational and fun events for your best clients is a great way to keep them excited and involved in current treatment trends, color cosmetics and the latest in retail products. Most of all it gets them into the spa. Further, often events like wine and cheese gatherings, your clientele will likely invite friends offering instant referrals. Oftentimes injectibles can be offered at reduced rates at such parties which generates instant revenues. Retail is also a big seller at parties offering information and education on the latest trends, treatments and esthetic options. Be sure to offer samples of products and offer treatment sampling of your latest services.

Promote Parties

It doesn't have to be your high season to offer your facility up for parties. Corporate parties are always a consistent option. Sales professionals in particular often have the need to entertain clients and run out of fun ways to do so. Pedicure parties are great for executives as are chair massages mini facials. Consider that this type of client has the need to talk during their services so look for group activities that keep clients upright. Princess parties for little girls are a great option as well because soccer moms run out of ways to entertain their brood and are typically competitive about innovative ways to throw birthday parties. Bridal parties are another obvious answer especially if your resort or hotel caters to weddings.

Offer Client Appreciation Days

Your best clients should be showered with attention. Offering this special 20% of your clientele added services, special rates on items, goodie baskets and attention is only smart. Small parties, appetizers and beverages, extra education and add on services will keep these important clients coming back for more. Allowing them to bring in friends for free services with them will add to your client base and again keep your clients happy and chatting it up about your spa, the quality of service and content. Just the notion of having the spa all to themselves is an exceptional way to honor their loyalty to your spa.

Promote Seasonal Services

Keeping current with the season no matter what your high season is creates excitement, a sense of freshness and a relevant topic for treatment. For instance, summer season favors a variety of pedicures while winter is more of a massage season. Spring calls for contouring to get clients ready for bikini season while fall is a time of preparation for winter-a sort of sloughing off of all of that sun, sand and summer fun. Seasonal services are also oftentimes centered around holidays like Christmas, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving and New Years, Easter, Father's Day, and the spring through summer wedding season. All of these holidays lend themselves to special promotions, retail offers, treatment offerings and celebrations.

Promoting your spa in the off season can be easy with a bit of creativity and observation of both your core clientele and the clientele that could be a part of your core market. Additionally keeping close track of your expenditures and operational procedures year around keeps opportunities open for growth and profitability. So don't just think outside of the box, tap dance around the box, peak into the box and invite opportunity for profitability wherever it might be found.

Melinda Minton is a spa consultant and health and beauty expert with offices in Scottsdale, New York City, and Denver. Ms. Minton is a certified massage therapist, esthetician and cosmetologist with an MBA in marketing. Ms. Minton is also a member of the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) and of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW). Ms. Minton is the founder of The Spa Association (SPAA), a world-class organization dedicated to enriching the professional beauty industry through self-regulation, education and sound business practices. SPAA is the largest spa association in North America. Ms. Minton can be contacted at 970-218-5414 or melinda@spaminton.com Extended Bio...

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